CABERNET FILET MINGON

Buying Steaks: When buying steaks, buy the best grade of meat you can afford. Look for steak with fine texture and firm to the touch. You want the color to be a light cherry red color, not deep red. Also look for steaks that have marbling, as it is the thin threads of fat running through the meat that make it Prime and gives the wonderful flavor.

Picture shows chunks of aged blue cheese!

2 Filet Mignon Steaks,

Olive Oil
Coarse Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground
Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Cabernet Wine (can Substitute Any Dry Red
Wine)
1 Tablespoon Butter (1 to 2)

Bring steaks to room temperature. Coat steaks lightly with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper (press in with your hands). Using the Pan-Searing or Sear-Roasting techniques, proceed to cook your steak to your desired doneness. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness: Rare - 120°F Medium Rare - 125°F Medium - 130°F Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping any pieces of steak off the bottom of the pan and stirring them into the emerging sauce. Let the liquid boil until reduced to approximately 1/3 cup. Remove pan from heat. Add the butter and mix it in by swirling the pan. Pour the sauce over the steaks just before serving.
2. Using dry heat is the best way to cook steaks and other tender cuts of meat. Dry heat cooking causes the exterior of the meat to brown and caramelize which gives the steaks a richly browned complex flavor. This is partly a result of the sugars inherent in the meat going through a series of complex reactions called the "Maillard reaction." The moisture on the surface of the meat also evaporates and the juices becomes concentrated, forming the appealing brown crust.
PAN-SEARING:
In a heavy frying pan (I use my cast-iron frying pan) over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear the steaks, moving them with tongs a little so they don't stick to the bottom, for 5 to 6 minutes per side. When the steaks are crusty-charred and done to your liking, remove from the pan, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. During this time the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven) and the juices redistribute; add juices that accumulate from resting steaks to wine sauce). Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto individual serving plates.
SEAR-ROASTING: Preheat oven to 500°F (a very hot oven produces a juicy interior). Place 10 to 12-inch ovenproof skillet or cast-iron skillet in oven. When oven reaches 500°F temperature, remove pan from oven and place on range over high heat (the pan and the handle will be extremely hot - be careful). Immediately place steaks in the middle of hot, dry pan (if cooking more than one piece of meat, add the pieces carefully so that they are not touching each other). Cook 1 to 2 minutes without moving; turn with tongs and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and put the cast iron skillet with the steaks in it into the oven. Cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, depending on thickness of steaks and degree of doneness you like. When the steaks are crusty-charred and done to your liking, remove from the pan, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. During this time the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven) and the juices redistribute (add juices that accumulate from resting steaks to wine sauce). Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto individual serving plates.